It's been very cold here in the UK this week. There's been blue skies and sunshine over Cornerstones, but still very cold. I'm typing this on Tuesday afternoon, feeling a bit shivery - but that's mostly reaction to the dental anaesthetic wearing off I think. The dodgy tooth is out, and once the soreness has gone, I'm confident all will be well. But what are my top ten tips for keeping warm, without spending too much money?
- As Martin Lewis always says "warm the person, not the room" - dress in layers, and add an extra one of you are still cold [says the woman in her dressing gown at 3pm]
- Embrace hygge and keep a stack of blankets to snuggle up in when you're sat watching TV or reading.
- If you don't use a room very much, don't heat it!
- If you've been using the oven, once finished cooking, prop the door open to allow the heat out to warm the house [not advisable if you have kids or pets around]
- Grandma's solutions - thicker curtains, draught excludes at doors etc - old fashioned but still sensible.
Warm food - centrally heat yourself. Ribsticking suet puddings, jam rolypoly with custard, trays of roasted vegetables, casseroles and curries. [and if you're weight watching, remember there are hot low calorie alternatives to salads like soup]
- Stay active, try and keep your circulation going.
- Set your heating to come on just before you get up and go off as you go to bed.
You will sleep better in a bedroom that is not too hot - but keep the bed warm with a hot water bottle, or electric blanket on timer. Wear bedsocks. A warm milky drink is a good idea.
- Do check on benefits available, ask the Citizens Advice Bureau. If you able, make use of other people's warmth - visit "Warm Hubs", maybe at a local church, library, or community centre.
What tips would you add?
As I've aged I've started to wear spaghetti strap tops under my dresses and wow what a difference, lovely and warm. Bitterly cold out here yesterday and bitter wind.
ReplyDeleteMe too - remembering how I used to mock my Grandmother for wearing a vest in winter! Now I'm a smart, warm old lady myself
DeleteI have fingerless gloves for wearing when doing tasks. A microwave wheat bag is also nice for a quick 2min microwave blast to give some instant heat. A gilet is also a good extra layer to wear.
ReplyDeleteYour tips are all very good ideaa!! Kxx
Oh three great tips there K. I've mislaid my "milkman's gloves" - I'll have to knit some more. I think they call them "texting gloves" now
ReplyDeleteWear 'draught excluders' , scarves make a huge difference and wristies make a huge difference. Tights under trousers (but I can't abide the feel of that so I don't!) Or get lined walking trousers from outdoor shops.
ReplyDeleteI was given some fleece lined leggings, They are lovely!
DeleteGlad your troublesome tooth is out! No more fillings to fall out! Just the tooth and nothing but the tooth taken out! :D
ReplyDeleteI like your tips to keep warm. I feel the cold and I've a minimum of three layers on - long sleeved knit top, a wool sweater, a cardigan or a sweatshirt) - plus wool socks and a scarf. Sometimes, I'll wear a knitted hat, too, and my fingerless gloves. I've piles of blankets and quilts on my bed and I heat up a rice pack in the microwave to warm up the bed. It's not even that cold, but, I feel cold.
Rice packs are good. Altho ,y neighbour was using one, and her carer managed to overheat it - it caught fire and they had to get a new microwave!!
DeleteTexting gloves?? Whatever next! I have a collection of M/S Thermal camisole tops with long sleeves. They are the best! I also bought lightweight leggings this year and they make a big difference under jeans. Furry gilet too!
ReplyDeleteM&S thermals are reasonable quality and value - they certainly wash and wear well
DeleteI made fingerless gloves from the top part of some old socks, with a bit of crochet edging.
ReplyDeleteI am layered up well, cotton vest, long sleeved T-shirt, rugby shirt, thin wool jumper, sweat shirt, and gilet, thick cotton joggers and thick socks, and sheepskin slippers. I wear a neckerchief and woolly hat indoors too. I bought merino wool thermals and an oodie in the sales last year, but it hasn’t been that cold yet. If I feel chilly when settled on the sofa with my rugs, and the dog, I tuck a microwaved wheat bag under my sweatshirt.
I fill a vacuum flask when I make a pot of tea or coffee, so there is an extra hot drink for later.
Ah, I'm told a dog makes an excellent 'hot water bottle' O like your idea about turning sox-into-gloves
DeleteTwo layers on the my feet are helpful. Two pairs of socks or a pair of socks with warm house slippers on top. If my feet are warm, I generally feel warm. Or perhaps the opposite is true. When my feet are cold, I never feel truly warm.
ReplyDeleteJam rolypoly with custard. Mmmmmmm. Very warm and comforting.
If I have cold feet in bed, I find it hard to get to sleep
DeleteThe very thought of bedsocks makes me cringe, I never wear socks indoors but never get cold feet! I'm odd as I use just a 4.5 tog duvet all year and no heat in bedroom.
ReplyDeleteI do take a hot water bottle to bed now the weather is cold and have a wheat bag, which is lovely for neck and ears in the evening.
There are clearly two sorts of Sue in the world - the with and without sox varieties!!
DeleteYour comment has made me smile from ear to ear. There's another "warmer" that we hadn't mentioned. A bit of humor, a kindness, a smile. Things that warm the heart are a blessing indeed.
DeleteABSOLUTELY - this is definitely the best comment so far!!
DeleteI planned a chicken stirfry last night and changed it to a one pot curry with everything in the sauce. Dollop of yoghurt on top-it was lush. I like fingerless gloves too and I made some handwarmers filled with cherry pits which are great after a blast in the microwave. I also wear my fleecy dressing gown as a top layer , and woollen socks when I am at home all day. Hope the extraction is healing nicely. Catriona
ReplyDeleteThe doorbell went yesterday afternoon and I immediately removed my dressing gown, as I didn't want the caller to think I had only just got up! Is it vanity? Tooth healing well thus far thank you. Feel much better today than yesterday
DeleteThe cold never used to bother me, but since losing close to 60 lbs., I'm FREEZING all the time! I dress in layers, wear socks because my feet are what gets cold the fastest, and drink a cup of hot tea when feeling really chilly.
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed with the weight loss - but I guess you have lost your inbuilt thermal layer! Hot tea is my go-to as well [not being allowed any hot drinks yesterday after the extraction was incredibly hard. This Grandma runs on tea]
Deletemy tip is put your nightclothes on the radiators 1 hour before bed, they will be lovely and warm, then put the next days clean clothes on in their place. so cosy to get dressed next morning at no extra cost. Val & Poppy
ReplyDeleteIf I remember, I put my clean undies on the radiator when I go to bed. Very cosy next morning as you say!
DeleteI hope you soon recover from the extraction - no more lost fillings! I have worn white camisoles as vests for years, only leaving them off in high summer. Bedsocks of any kind are essential, I forgot them once at DS house and couldn't sleep. I should have borrowed some of DH's socks. I keep a fuzzy throw on the couch for when we watch Britbox. On the whole we keep warm with our wood furnace, but upstairs can feel cool on damp days and I grabbed an old cardigan when I was on the laptop. I hate the cold but at least one can warm up. But excessive summer heat in cities - much harder to be comfortable. I'll take the cold, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bushlady about excessive heat being worse. At least there are lots of solutions to help. Perhaps you can do a Summer edition of this post with tips for keeping cool? Kx
DeleteI'm no good in extreme cold OR extreme heat!
ReplyDeleteThankfully or not (?) I am still hot flash Annie, so the extreme cold isn't too bad for me, it's the extreme heat in the Summer which bothers me more.
ReplyDeleteI prefer to call the hot flush a 'power surge'!!
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